Which Type of Van Rental is Best For You

Renting a van is something that many of us do each year for a number of different reasons from moving home, clearing out rubbish or ferrying our equipment from A to B. More often than not, we grab whichever van suits our special needs but how much do you really know about the van which you are going to rent?

The range of vans available for rental may very well differ in size but it is important to know that there are more specifications on vans than just how much space they have. Getting the right van not only helps with you getting the job done well, but it will also help you to better manage the vehicle on the road, and ensure that nothing is left to chance when it comes to how much pressure you put on the van itself.

Short Wheel Base Vans

The wheelbase of a van is the what we use to refer to the distance between the centre of the front wheels and the back wheels. When it comes to short wheel based van hire, these are the vans that you should be looking at if you are moving small amounts of equipment, or very light cargo. SWB vans are more flexible in terms of driving and turning, they are well suited to city driving and they are the easiest van for someone to drive who is not used to driving vans.

Medium Wheel Base Vans

If you have cargo which is weighty or large in size, you should definitely be looking at a medium wheel base van hire. There can be a temptation to go for a larger model of van but if you are able to manage with a medium wheel base van, it would definitely be recommended. The larger the van, the more difficult to drive and handle so aim for the smallest van that your goods will allow.

Long Wheel Base Vans

Unless you plan on doing plenty of time consuming trips to get your goods from A to B, long wheel based van hire is going to be necessary, especially for home removals. Bear in mind that whilst these vans offer plenty of space and they can hold a large amount of weight, this does have an impact on driving style. If you aren’t used to driving a van, then be very careful with these vans as they manoeuvre awkwardly and require a different approach than smaller models.

Fridge / Freezer / Chilled Vans

If you are planning on shipping food, drinks or chemicals which are required to be stored at a particularly cold temperature, then you will be pleased to know that fridge freezer van hire is an option for you. More often than not you will find these vans to be come in the smaller variety given the challenge of maintaining temperatures in the back, although this is not always the case. Depending on your needs, you can search around and find a great deal on these vans, which you can manually set to maintain a particularly low temperature.

Temperature Controlled Vans

Depending on the type of cargo which you will be using, temperature controlled vans can provide a flexible option for you. These vans have separate compartments for cold areas and room temperature areas which is perfect for avoiding cross contamination of your foods or chemicals.

Luton Vans with Tail Lift

Luton vans are box-type vans which have a long wheel base and more often than not they will have a tail lift attached to the back of the vehicle. The tail lift is required on these vans given their height and they are the perfect tool to help you load up heavy items. The Luton is the number one choice if you are shipping very heavy loads thanks to their box design, and the hydraulic tail lift ensures that you won’t face risk of injury when you load the van up.

Make sure that you understand what your van needs are, before deciding on which of these options is the best for you.